Contraception in Roman Catholicism

Contraception and the Roman Catholic Church The modern Catholic individual faces problems daily about how to live a contemporary Catholic lifestyle. In attempt to answer the questions about how to live Catholics often turn to the Bible, the Pope, and the official doctrine of the Catholic Church. While much guidance can be taken from these sources, there arise many modern issues for which the Bible offers no advice, and the doctrine offers confusing or even conflicting advice. The Bible was written in ancient times, and many modern problems simply did not exist. For example, there is no basis in the Bible for the moral implications of euthanasia, because there were no artificial means of preserving life during that time. This is especially true about modern sexual ethics. Specifically, on the issue of contraception there is no direct teaching in the Bible, because modern forms of contraception did not exist. A Catholic individual must look to the teachings of the Pope and the official church doctrine for guidance on the use of contraception. The Roman Catholic Church currently prohibits any form of unnatural or artificial contraception. This prohibition has been reaffirmed many times over, during Ecumenical Councils and papal encyclicals. However, these decrees fail to fully address the problems associated with unregulated procreation and unprotected sex. The ban that the Roman Catholic Church has placed on contraceptives is flawed and there are many instances in which Catholic couples are morally justified in the use of contraceptives. To outline the arguments of the Catholic Church against contraception, one must start with an understanding of the past events and knowledge that shaped the current doctrine. Much of the current theology stems from the opinions of St. Augustine, who wrote extensively on sex, chastity, and the goods of marriage. Augustine wrote that continence, that is, having no sexual intercourse at all, is the highest calling and

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